Playing Warriors
by takeflight
Summary: The yellow eyed demon has been killed, but the war against evil has only just begun.
1. Chapter 1

The yellow eyed demon was dead. Their lifelong quest to avenge their murdered mother was finally over. However, the price they had paid was heavy. Hundreds of demons had escaped through the gates of hell and were now lusting after the souls of the living. Dean and Sam both knew they would have to sacrifice much to save the world from their tyranny.

More on their minds, however, were what Dean had revealed to Sam before they left. Sam had been dead, killed by Jake on the commands of the now vanquished yellow eyed demon. He should have stayed dead, according to everything they knew, but there he was, right next to Dean as always, and it was all because of Dean.

They were driving back to the motel room in silence, pondering recent events.

"I still can't believe you did it." Sam muttered, breaking the silence.

"Don't start this again, Sammy. You know I had no choice."

"No choice? You always have a choice. Isn't that what you're always telling me?" Sam said, his voice rising.

"Yeah, well, not this time."

"Why not? What was different this time? Dean, I know you care about me and would do anything for me, and I would do the same for you, believe me. But this goes against everything we know, everything Dad ever taught us."

"Sammy, please." Dean said forcefully.

"It wasn't right Dean. What's dead should stay dead. I should have died back there, you should've let me go. I shouldn't even be here right now-"

"Stop it." The car screeched to a halt. Dean gave his brother a frown, hoping he'd stop this bullshit. Sam was a bright guy. Why couldn't he just accept that this was the only thing Dean could do? His brother always did ask too many questions. "I don't want to hear this talk from you anymore."

Sam slammed his hand against the dashboard, his eyes wild with passion. "Damnit, Dean, we have to talk about it. We have to fix this mess-"

"The only thing we have to do is get back to that motel and get some sleep. There's a war going on and we have to be prepared for it. Or have you forgotten why exactly I brought you back?"

Sam sat back, pursing his lips together. Dean chuckled sardonically.

"Yeah, I need you. Don't get me wrong, you're a pain in the ass brother and I'd hate to lose the opportunity to punch your whining face in one more time, but that is not why I sacrificed my soul for you."

"Then what?"

"You know what." Dean muttered angrily. "You're the only one who can do this job with me. You're the only one-", He suddenly stopped, running his hand through his hair and staring blankly out the rain soaked window.

Sam waited for him to continue. When he didn't, Sam spoke his name. "Dean, what?"

Dean paused for a moment before answering. He said in a dark voice: "You're the only one I trust to back me up on this, Sam. I can't do this alone. What we unleashed back there, that was huge. There is going to be some serious trouble in the world if we don't act fast, and I don't have time to be training a new recruit. I need you. I need a soldier I can trust, and we both know that can only be you."

"You sound just like the demon."

"I'm your brother. And I'm fighting to save innocent lives. You and I, Sam, we're causalities in the war against evil, we both know that. It's just a matter of time. As long as we can delay the inevitable and keep on fighting, that's what we're going to do. You said it yourself, this job is a pain the freakin butt at times, but it's worth it. We have to keep on fighting, for as long as we can. You do understand that, don't you Sammy?"

"And what about you, huh?" Sam lashed out. "Am I just supposed to sit back and watch when that bitch comes back and sends my only brother to hell?" The last part was spoken is a forced, thick tone, and Dean tightened his grip around the steering wheel.

"If that's the way it has to be."

"The hell with that!" Sam shouted, throwing his hands up. He pointed a finger at Dean. "You're a selfish son of a bitch. You know I can't do this alone any more than you can. No way am I letting her take you."

Dean stared at his brother with cold eyes, feeling tempted to reveal to Sam the true reasons for why he'd brought him back. Why Sam was infinitely more valuable to the cause than Dean was, and how Dean's death would be a necessary loss.

Instead, he bit his lip and told his brother what he wanted to hear.

"You're right. You can't do this alone, and I don't intend on letting you. We'll hunt that demon down and force her to renegade on the deal." He shrugged lightly. "Don't know about you, but I've still got a lot of tasty chicks I'd like to get intimately acquainted with. Jo, for one-"

"I mean it Dean. I'm not letting you die for me."

"And you won't have to. We'll figure a way out of this, Sam, if it's the last thing I do." He half smiled at his own ironic choice of words.

Sam looked away, shaking his head.

"So, are we good?"

Sam said nothing.

"Are we good?" Dean repeated, shoving him lightly.

"Yeah, we're good." Sam muttered.

"Good. Now shut up and let me drive."

They continued down the road again in silence.

---


	2. Chapter 2

When they got to the motel room they saw that the lights were already switched on. The brothers exchanged wary looks with each other, and Dean felt for the gun strapped to his hip. He carefully emerged from the car and approached the motel door. Sam followed, fingering a silver knife and watching for any sudden moves.

Slowly, Dean turned the door handle and let himself in. A cacophony of voices rang out from inside.

"Dean! Sam! It's so good to see you boys again!" Ellen came up to them holding a glass of champagne in one hand, and wrapped her arms around them both.

"Wh.. what's going-", Dean started uncertainly, but Bobby, standing behind Ellen with a big goofy grin on his face and his own glass of champagne, interrupted with a laugh. "It's a celebration! The demons have been defeated! There's not going to be any apocalypse!"

"We're saved!" Ellen shouted with him, waving her champagne in the air.

"Woah woah woah, No apocalypse? What are you talking about Bobby?" Sam asked, frowning at his brilliant but slightly unbalanced old friend. Bobby grinned widely and took a swig of his drink. "We're finally off the gig boys. Drink up!"

"There's nothing left to fear!" Jo added, approaching the boys and giving both Dean and Sam a tight hug in turn. "No more angels, no more demons. We, all of us, can finally get back to living a normal life. About freakin time eh? Haha!"

"But- how? It's over? This-this doesn't make sense." Sam said, shaking his head. Surely it couldn't be over so quickly? And without their help?

"We just got word in from inner state. The demon Elstar was supposed to arrive there today, to break the 57th seal, but the hunters managed to clock that sucker straight in his gonads. Isn't that fantastic?"

"Just one seal?" Dean protested, feeling just as skeptical as his brother. "They've already unlocked 56, and you know they'll be on their way to the next one anytime now. We have to get out there- "

"Oh, you're so cute when you're in denial!" Jo teased him, moving in for a drunk kiss but being led aside by Ellen, who frowned at her and muttered "just how much have you been drinking, girl?" She took her into an adjacent bedroom and closed the door, and Sam and Dean were left standing before a very cheerful looking Bobby. Nearby a group of people were watching tv and talking excitedly about the glorious victory, but Sam and Dean exchanged curious looks with each other, still very much unnerved.

Bobby then nudged his head and the three of them stepped outside into the quiet night. Once away from earshot, Bobby immediately dropped his happy act and a sober look swept over his face. He huddled close to them.

"They're in there. Demons. This is Elstar's work first hand."

"What should we do?" Dean asked, immediately accepting and feeling somewhat relieved that his friend was back to his old self. Sam, however, was looking disturbed.

"I showed up just in time. They're after you Sam. They're trying to get you comfortable and get your guard down so they can kidnap you."

Both brothers furrowed their eyebrows in surprise. "Kidnap Sam? Why would they want to kidnap Sam?" Dean asked.

"I don't know, all I know is that he's important. I think it has something to do with unlocking the 57th seal."

"Wait, so this isn't over? This whole celebration thing is an act?" Sam asked, frowning.

Bobby nodded. "'Fraid so boys. Believe me, when the real finale comes, I'll be drinking a lot more than cheap '98 champagne."

Dean snorted. "I knew it."

Suddenly, loud voices rang out close to the door. Bobby's eyes widened. "Sam, you have to get out of here. Dean, you stay back with me and help me nuke these sons of bitches."

"You got it Bobby." Dean replied, opening the trunk of his car and removing a shotgun.

"No way. I'm not leaving you two" Sam protested, his eyes glinting defiantly. "There're at least ten of them in there."

"We don't have a choice Sam, you have to go." Bobby commanded. Sam shook his head. "No, you'll need me." He moved to grab his own gun from Dean's trunk.

"We need you to stay alive, Sam." Dean ordered, pushing him aside.

"I'm not leaving you to be slaughtered, Dean!"

Bobby placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, feeling sympathetic. "Sam, we'll be okay. Ellen and Jo are getting ready to back us up as we speak. Besides, why do you think they didn't just grab you by force the moment you stepped through the door?"

Sam shrugged. "Why didn't they? They've never hesitated before."

Bobby tapped him squarely in the chest and looked warily into his eyes. "You're implicated in the 57th seal somehow, and until we figure out how exactly that is, we have to keep you safe. We can't afford to risk them getting any closer to breaking another seal. They've broken too many already."

Sam stared into Bobby's eyes, and then finally nodded. "Okay Bobby. If you think that's best." Bobby took a deep breath. "Ok, good. Go to my house and lock yourself in the demon proof basement-"

"You mean the panic room?"

"Yes. I'll be there to unlock the door within a few hours. If I don't arrive, there's an emergency store of food and water underneath the desk that should last you at least a week."

"Alright. Don't get yourselves killed."

Dean raised his eyebrows in surprise. Sam never normally conceded an argument so quick. Still, he was pleased at Sam's change of heart, and looked forward to a hunt without the worry of looking after his little brother. He dropped the car keys into Sam's open palm. Sam took them and was soon roaring down the street in Dean's shiny black impala.

Dean and Bobby watched him go, then they looked at the motel, and then at each other.

Bobby eyes were questioning. Dean shrugged, cocking his gun. "I was born ready, Bobby." Bobby nodded in agreement, and then the two of them stepped quietly towards the motel room.


End file.
